Mumsnet Talk

DS1 is 15. He came home from school with a big grin and told me the school had given him £5 for 100% attendance. I'm a bit cats bum face about that in it's self, but then remembered that last term he was injured during Games which involved a trip to A&E and the following day off school. So he most definitely did not have 100% attendance. He said it worked out at 98.9% or some such figure so the school round it up.

AIBU to think that if the school are going to give out money(!) for 100% attendance the criteria should actually be 100% attendance? Obviously DS1, now £5 better off, disagrees with me...

I don't agree with rewarding 100% attendance for lots of reasons but yes, if you are going to do so, then you need to reward 100% attendance and not 98% rounded to the nearest 10 attendance.

Totally agree.

Perhaps they write off school injuries?

Going wildly O/T I got annoyed at having to write a sick note for a day when DS was concussed - it happened at school, ergo they should know

Ummm my understanding is that schools are not legally allowed to give students,ones as a reward!

Money, sorry not ones!

Schools quite often give gift vouchers

I disagree with attendance awards in the first place, as they only reward children who are healthy - something which the child cannot control. It's general better in all walks of life to reward for things over which the individual has control, not flukes such as absence of illness.

So if they are scoring off all health related absences, then I think this is a massive step forward.

But I suspect that he's got one because he was present every time the register was taken.

Well whether people like them or not, they are preparation for the real world and the life of work. When rewards and bonuses are dished out, attendance is usually one of the factors involved. It encourages reliability, timeliness and above all should foster in that no-one gets something for nothing in this world.

Um, in the "real world" sick leave is a legal right. And discriminating against the disabled is illegal.

But hey ho, it happens, so let's bring it into schools too.

Sorry but if I'm at my desk every day and on time - I should take preferance over those who habitually throw a sickie to deal with a hang over and cant haul their sorry arses out of bed and get an earlier train.

It used to annoy me when the DS's primary school had a competition for attendance, as DS2 will NEVER have 100% attendance, due to health issues. It got to the point where DS2 was getting picked on by people in his class because they NEVER won the attendance class prize as he was off. In the end the school stopped doing it because a group of mums whose dc have health issues got together and complained to the HT. It was a divisive policy. Some people will just NEVER be able to get 100% attendance, and to do it by CLASS rather than by individual is wrong.

Now I just tell DS2 that while he won't get a prize for attendance - he often gets the prize for best class behaviour because he is ALWAYS on 'green' or 'gold' on the school's 'traffic light' behaviour system. He hasn't been on Amber or red EVER, and this is from Reception to his current Y3. Some DC can't be GOOD all the time, some can't ATTEND all the time - As I tell my dc, everyone has different skills, you just have to find yours and play to your strengths while accepting that no-one can be good at everything.

I don't see an individual attendance prize as being unfair to people with health issues or disability, as long as there are other prizes that they have a chance of acheiving. Whole class attendance prizes ARE divisive though, if your dc has health issues or disabilties.

My DS2 knows that while 100% attendance isn't one of his skills, excellent behaviour IS. He plays to his strengths while acknowledging his weaknesses. Best way to be IMO.

As it was an injury acquired at school, I think this is totally fair.

And well done him, why are you picking at him??

Trois - being in hospital on oxygen and nebs for severe asthma is hardly a hangover. Neither is being post-ictal after a seizure. The first is a reason why my DS2 has been absent from school, the second is a reason I have been absent from work. Both still mean we don't have 100% attendance.

<<Headdesk>>

But I was talking about those people who swing the lead all the time and are frankly a PIA to all their collegues.

Only on this forum can someone who habitually lets their collegues down be compared to someone with serious illness and have a whole swathe clutching at their pearls on the unfairness of the world.

Life aint fair. Bill Gates (allegedly)

meditrina - sick leave is a legal right to a certain point. But many people only get paid statutory sick leave and people do lose their jobs for being off sick too much. Sorry but that is the real world for many people.

huntycat - I actually agree with attendance awards because there are some children who are only eveer realistically get this award. But I am shocked at a class attendance award - that is very unfair.

Yes. People get disciplined and ultimately sacked for excessive sick leave. I work in a school and 3 teachers have been sacked for gross miss conduct due their high levels of sick leave.The usual Friday-Monday pattern, odd cumulative days, all unsupported by doctors certs. They are currently constructing a case against my room-mate collegue due to her apalling record - and hers is all certified (injury from a car accident). It's harsh but few business have room for passengers these days.

I hate attendance rewards. They made my friend send her dd's into school with whopping cough. And her other dd went to childcare with it. All because she wants to hit 100% attendance. Her CC were livid when they found out she knew her dd had WC.

"In the real world" if you injure yourself at work then it is not added to your sick leave. Well if you fill in the necessary paperwork. School maybe operates the same policy?

Sorry but everywhere I have worked it is added to your sick leave. And i know people who have been dismissed in the public sector for workplace injuries - not where there was negligence on the part of the employer, but just an unfortunate accident.

Not saying this is right - just a fact though.

I hate attendance awards too. They don't actually act as motivators to many children - and those who do react positively to it will then go in when they should be home in bed and not spreading their germs around the place. Friend's DD went in when she was basically a giant bag of snot just for the attendance award, and then half the class were off ill, so she effectively denied them the chance to get their 100%.

And at the attendance awards assembly, several of the recipients weren't there .

I'm sure the children love the rewards they get for full attendance but I'm another one who does not agree with them. I also dont agree with the whole class attendance awards either.
If my child is ill she will not be attending school. Simple as.

HuntyCat - I completely agree. My dd's old school did the class award too and she was being picked on as she was always 'losing it' for them due to multiple hospital appts and being off sick. The whole attendance award system is wrong and cruel imo.

Talking of work practices and people being laid off for too much sickness, try telling that to ATOS when they tell you you're fit for work <whole other thread, but couldn't resist>

I hate these awards with a vengeance. I think they are divisive and disablist